Rosswoodford Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 This was my first year going to multiple majors. (5). I live in Area 3 and attended Area 3 my first time this year. I've obviously heard the stories of the gimmicks at A3 and now experienced them. So now I'll ask: What is everyone's favorite area match and why? I'd love to hit another one this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I've only shot A1, A2 and A3, but my favorite is A3, lol. reasonable price, creative stages, and usually only 1 or 2 things at most that I think are dumb. A2 is a very consistent well-run match with a big prize table, if that's your thing. It is the same range and organization every year, like A3, so to some extent you know what you are going to get. A1 on the other hand rotates around, and has been in southern utah, eastern washington, montana and idaho in the few years I have been shooting, and this year is in western washington. The flavor of the match changes with the different ranges and md's and stage designers, but it is always a top-quality match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 14 hours ago, Rosswoodford said: I'd love to hit another one this year. Anything in Florida in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinready300ex Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I've only shot 8 and 7. The last several years A8 has been great, can't miss. Next year is a new MD and a New location. I think it'll still be good. A7 was decent, but kind of small and hard to get into if you're not from the Area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosswoodford Posted December 10, 2019 Author Share Posted December 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said: Anything in Florida in the winter. This is fair. Lol. Iowa is getting miserable real quick right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schutzenmeister Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Rosswoodford said: This is fair. Lol. Iowa is getting miserable real quick right now. Awww ... If you think Iowa is miserable, avoid North Dakota for the next several months! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Area 5 is a pretty well run match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 A5 is cool but no need to make a 12 stage match take two days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Area 2 used to be super hard to get into, sell out in 2 minutes kind of thing. Haven't shot it since I moved. I like area 4 as I live here. Especially when fort Smith does the match. I've done a3 and will never return. Area 8 was always my favorite. Easy airport to fly to. Beautiful area around range. Tourism stuff to do in Philadelphia. A wide variety of challenging stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosswoodford Posted December 11, 2019 Author Share Posted December 11, 2019 4 hours ago, Schutzenmeister said: Awww ... If you think Iowa is miserable, avoid North Dakota for the next several months! It's just the beginning of the season where you're not used to it. Itll be in the negatives soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooke Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 9 hours ago, Sarge said: Area 5 is a pretty well run match. LOL !! Can't believe you said that But its true and unlike the someone above I like the AM/PM and PM/AM format. Both the Buckeye Blast and Area 5 are fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prov1x Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Area 4 obviously! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 11 hours ago, waktasz said: A5 is cool but no need to make a 12 stage match take two days It was/will be 14 stages. The two day format was based on input from several different folks both locally and across the area. Buckeye Blast (Ohio State match) is 10-11 stages and shot in one day format. The previous year it was 12 stages and the unpredictable weather gave us high heat and humidity and some staff and shooters nearly went down. With a few shooters choosing to DNF instead of stroke out. That played into the equation for Area 5 as they are held at the same location. I realize most people are never truly honest when they give you the obligatory “nice match” when done, but there were several top shooters who said they liked the way A5 was split up. Plus not one person who shot the match gave me any negative feed back even after I strongly encouraged them to do so if needed. Anyway Area 5 is a fine match with very little circus atmosphere. Just solid stages from several different designers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 It's not the worst thing and ends up creating a pretty relaxed two days of shooting because each day is easy. You're right that 14 stages in one day can be rough, but it's also doable. The biggest thing is it's an extra night in a hotel for the visiting people, which isn't the most terrible thing I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnote Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 if i remember correctly, area 5 used to give you both options of one day Saturday , one day Sunday or maybe it was Friday, and then the am/pm staggered option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 The more I think about it and remember back to 2017 and 2018 when I shot it, the more I remember liking it...so, just ignore me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClangClang Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 11 hours ago, rowdyb said: Area 8 was always my favorite. Easy airport to fly to. Beautiful area around range. Tourism stuff to do in Philadelphia. A wide variety of challenging stages. A8 has a new location and new MD this coming year. Best airport will probably be Dulles now. I still expect the match to be fantastic though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 (edited) Yep I can only talk about the past not the future. Just like don't go to A3. Edited December 12, 2019 by rowdyb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dapribek Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 The Area 7 match I shot years ago was very well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas H Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 11 hours ago, rowdyb said: Yep I can only talk about the past not the future. Just like don't go to A3. Different people have different opinions. Note: My experience with Area matches is based on Area 3, Area 4, and Area 5 each a number of times. Out of them, I prefer the A3 match, because I like it when the stages require you to think in addition to shooting. If you like a high round count match, with close shots, distant shots, lots of steel, and lots of movement, then you'll like A3. If any little thing outside of directly shooting causes you to lose your focus and screw up, you will probably hate A3. A3 is known for having strange start positions, lots of choices in terms of far or near shots, and little things you have to think about in the middle of shooting to mess with your concentration. I personally find that fun to shoot. Other people don't. All that being said, I had a perfectly good time shooting the A4 and A5 matches, also, though each has a very different "flavor" to it. I think if you can ONLY go to one Area match, you should go to (and support) the one in your area. If you can go to multiple ones---do it. They are all a good time, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 23 minutes ago, Thomas H said: Other people don't. I'm someone who has shot a3 twice and decided never to return. I'm not alone. If someone asked the question in reverse, which area match should I avoid, instead of asking which is a must attend I'd bet money a3 would be the clear "winner". Especially if people could vote anonymously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 and then there are those of us who will go out of our way to attend A3. Very creative and fun stages, and despite the objections from a few people, the same folks win and do well as at every other match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racinready300ex Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 45 minutes ago, motosapiens said: the same folks win and do well as at every other match. Really, it doesn't matter if the match is good or bad there will be top guys at all the Area matches just because they are Area matches. Those guy will still win. Not really evidence of a good or bad match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 24 minutes ago, Racinready300ex said: Really, it doesn't matter if the match is good or bad there will be top guys at all the Area matches just because they are Area matches. Those guy will still win. Not really evidence of a good or bad match. correct, but some of the whining about A3 is of the competitive equity variety. Some of the whining is just about "it's too hard to do that stuff and I don't want to". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 I thought the complaining was to do with the stupid props on the stages that have nothing to do with shooting, see also: pool noodles, giant truck tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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